"Creating offense so far from the basket flattens differences in speed and quickness between the best players. Steph Curry and James Harden aren’t equal to Russell Westbrook athletically, but they are harder to defend because they have to be picked up almost as soon as they cross half court. When Kukoc came to the NBA in 1993, three years after being drafted in the second round, teams’ embrace of the 3-point shot was still in its infancy and most of the game was played in the narrow confines of the paint. Illegal defense rules prevented teams from crowding the lane with extra defenders, so offenses were designed to create one-on-one opportunities for big men who could carve out room for themselves as close to the basket as possible.

Doncic, unlike Kukoc, will not be playing in the triangle. Being traded to Dallas is the best thing that could have happened to him. He’s a perfect fit for the multiple-ball-handler offense used by Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle, one of the first coaches to embrace the importance of spreading the floor and having as many playmakers on the court as possible. Carlisle likes to play two point guards together, and he’s been known to play three at a time, even at the cost of having a 6-foot-3 guard like Devin Harris at the 3. Doncic is the best of both worlds because he can handle that type of offensive responsibility from the forward positions without compromising the defense in the same way."

"The purchases listed by TMG read like Depp gave his wallet to a tween with ADD. There was $75 million for 14 residences. He spent $3 million to shoot his pal Hunter S. Thompson's ashes into the sky from a cannon. A mere $7,000 to buy his daughter a couch from the set of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. He bought some 70 guitars and 200 pieces of art, including Basquiats and Warhols, owned 45 luxury vehicles and spent $200,000 a month on private air travel."

Monday, June 11, 2018

"Called Saved by the Max and located in the same shopping center as a Target and a Best Buy, the diner is one of the latest venues designed to let fans have an “immersive experience” of their favorite TV shows and movies. Others have included the popular “Downton Abbey” exhibit, open on 57th Street in New York City through September and expected to travel after that, and the short-lived Rue La Rue Café, a “Golden Girls”-themed destination that opened and closed in Washington Heights last year.

The brainchild of three Chicago entrepreneurs — Derek Berry, Zack Eastman and Steve Harris, who all have experience as club promoters — Saved by the Max meticulously recreates the neon-lit cafe where the kids from Bayside High School in the fictional Los Angeles suburb of Palisades liked to hang after class."

"The West Hollywood edition is taking reservations through September 2019. Tickets, which include an appetizer and entree, cost $40. Some nights, visitors might get a cast member as a chaser."

...

"The upscale diner menu was created by Brian Fisher, a usually much more serious chef known for his cooking at the Michelin-starred Chicago restaurants Schwa and Entente. Dishes include Mac & Screech, a cheesy appetizer named for the nerdy goofball played by Dustin Diamond; A.C. Sliders, made with ginger-and-beer-braised pulled pork and saluting Bayside’s star athlete A.C. Slater (Mario Lopez); Tori’s Fried Chicken, which is Korean-spiced, served with a coconut milk waffle and named for Leanna Creel’s character; and the Kelly Kapowski, a Monte Cristo sandwich honoring Tiffani Thiessen’s breakout role as the prettiest girl in high school."

...

"Universal, which owns “Saved by the Bell,” did not commission the pop-up restaurant, but has enthusiastically sanctioned it and become a partner. Reviving classic entertainment properties, said Carol Nygren, senior vice president of Worldwide Live Entertainment, Universal Brand Development, “is always a popular trend, and being able to recreate scenes that play into fans’ memories of popular shows is so much fun.”"